Plumber&#39;s test apparatus.



J. E. FLITOROPT.

PLUMBERS TEST APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.20, 1914.

1,1 16,876. A Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

8 '29 2o 30 M25 I I B I I B 28 3 l 1 1 v I 22 I 11 12 13 l I 1 2 21 9 1o wmvsssss: mymron:

0 M W Jim ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS co.. FHOTOLITHO WASHINGTON. D. c.

J. E. FLITOROPT.

PLUMBERS TEST APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.20, 1914.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

2-S-HBBTSSHEET 2.

&m\\\\\\\\\\\\ WITHE88E8:

THE NORRIS PETERS co PHOT LITHQ. WASHIN ON. D, r

JAMES nnwnnnrtrrcnorr, or mm enovninnw JERSEY To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that LJAMEs EDWARD FL 'r- CROFT, a citizen of the United States, resid ingat Ocean Grove, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Plumbers Smoke-Test Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates more particularly to improvementsin that class of testing sapparatus in which smoke is employed as a medium to be dischargedinto a pipe sys-- tem, such as the drain or water system of a house, the smoke finding its escape through any defects in the system and thus giving warning ofthe imperfection. The objects of the invention are to provide such an apparatus which is free from valves; to render the fireor smoke pot readily accessible; to admit an increase in volume of smoke; to provide means for observingv a decrease in volume of the smoke as a result of a lealq-to introduce air to the fire or smoke pot under pressure; to seal the air passage to back-flow and escape of smoke, therethrough; to provide means for determiningwhetherlthe smoke is being formed and passed to the pipe system properly; to secure simplicity of construction and operation, and toobtain other advantages and resultsas may be brought out in the 'following description. a

Referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich like numerals. of reference indicate the same'parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 is a plan of my improved testing apparatus; Fig. 2-is a vertical longitudinal sectionfon line .A-A thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional View" on line B-,-B of Fig. 2-; Fig. 4

m is atransverse sectiononline CC of Fig. 3,1ook1-ng 1n the (111 60131011 indicated bythe arrows, and Fig. 5-is a similar section} on line DD of Fig. 3, with the cover in place and looking in the opposite direction, as shown by the arrows. 1

, Inthe specific'embodim'ent of the invention illustrated in said drawings, the reference numeral-'1 indicates atank orcontamer adapted to contain a fiuid, such as water, in which the'apparatus-is placed tokeep it cool and seal it. In this instance'the tank is shown rendered impervious by an interior lining.--2, which is preferably of sheetmetal. Within said tank and 'preferably adjacent, one end thereof, isan up.- v

PLUMB RsfTEsT APPARATUS; a

Specificationof Letters Patent. 7 Patented Nov. Application filed August 20, 1914. seramawm. i Y

a I I nssrenon 'ro or'ro lf; BERNZ, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. I

wardly projecting fire or smoke pot shown as a generally cylindrical tube 4 fixed within the tank;jandproviding an interior chamber; a cover 5 with a deep flange or skirt- 6 is adapted to fit down loosely over the top of said 'tubular bjo'dy4 and close; the

open upper end thereof. The side wall of the pot body 4 is bent inward longitudinally at; oneside, forming a deep vertical groove or channel 7 from top to bottom, and mount smoke outlet pipe l8 substantially flush at its to p ;end with the top of the .potbody 4.

= ed longitudinally within this channel .7 is, a

At'the bottomof the body 4 thisoutlet pipe 8isprovided with a suitable fitting, s'uchfas an elbow-9 which turns laterally away from said body 4 and receives a nipple 10 which extends through theend wall of the tank 1.

Upon the outside of the tank the nipple screws into a coupling 11 adapted to be connected to the pipe system to be tested and also having a test opening 112 normally closedby a plug 13. A ring likebracket 14 V is secured to the outside of the tank and supports the connecting end of i the cou+ pli g 1 i It is to be understood that an; outlet pipel 8 which extends upwardly within the channel 7 is mclosed within the cover 6, andjthat communication from the chamber 5 to said I pipe maybe had over the top edgelofthe wall of. said chamber beneath the cover.

Such communication is insured} by shaping the top of the cover as a'domej, so'that the rounded corners engage, the pot; body 4 beby. the tank. Preferably this bracket. is of foreeither the pipe 8 or chamber are sealed, a to each other. Fromthecenter of theQdOmQ -Q [f i like top ofthe cover a removableguide rod' 15 extends upward and passes slidably throughtheeyelfiof a bracket 17 supported bentwireand; itsfoot seats removably in the r p f I socket18 ofabr'acket base 19-secured to the end" of g the tank by, screwsfa set scrjeWQO working through thefsidejyof the- :socket to clamp thebracket initssocket.

An'i inlet21 leads suitable fittings; are provided to pass said inlet pipe "21' from'. the exiteriorqto. the inturned upward; as at 22 and e iztends "above 'nto {the lower part of the smoke pot 3, near its base, and prefen, ablyv fat 'the: opposite sidethereof from the r outlet pipe .8, .and'it is'to be understood that vterior withgan imperviousjointr: Uponthe outside of; the smoke pot the inlet pipe is :110'

the top of the tank 1 adjacent its end opposite that through which the outlet 8 extends. Over this upturned part 21 f the inlet pipe is inverted a box or hood 23 soldered or otherwise held to the end andside walls of the tank or container for support so as to hold the lower open end of the hood a little above the bottom of the tank, the bottom edge of the hood being notched or recessed as at 24c to accommodate the pipe 21. Into the top ofthe'ho'od leads an air injector 25 shown as consisting'of a nozzle 26" connected by a suitable connection 27 to an'air pump 28. 'The nozzle leads into an upwardly flared end 29 of an air supply pipeBO which extends downward through the closed top of the tank 1 to a short distance'below it, said nozzle being supported on the flared top or end 29 by a spider frame 31"providing crossed arms 'or radial bars between which airma be drawn inward bthe ener y of y y c the air passing inward fromthe nozzle.

In 'use,-the outlet pipe 8 is coupled. to the system of piping to be testedand the tank 1 filled with water, substantially to its top was near thereto as can be conveniently done without overflow. This water seals the lower end ofthe air supply pipe 30 to backfiow orsewer gas, but obviously the pump will force air through said supply pipe which being underpressure will displace the water and bubble to the surface, trapped in the upper end of the box or hood 23. The only outlet from this upper end of the hood being through theinlet pipe 22', 21 to the smoke pot, the air passes thereto.

' Waste or other smoke-creating material may preferably a battle plate 33' is 'removably' s'upported between the'smdke pot' '3 and the hook '23, although this-plate isnot impel vious to passage of water, and'its bottom edge" is'notche'd or recessed as at345 to' accommodate the pipe 21. a p

If there arenoleaks in the piping system being tested, the smoke pot cover Gwill rise under thepressure exerted by-thr'e airpump, or ifthe leaksaresmall the dome wil l rise.

Then'if pumping is discontinued and the dome does not fall, it indicates that the system is tightgwhereas if the dome sinks back to normal position the operator'knows there is a' defect in the system and can then locate it" by the smoke escaping through:- the smoke" pot in said tank leak. During any stage of the test the .operator may ascertain whether the waste .,in the smoke pot is burning properly and smoke passing into the pipe system, or whether the waste is flaming and burning without smoke, by removing the, plug 13 from the test opening 12. Obviously if smoke issues from this opening at such time it can be assumed that smoke is passing to A the pipe system being tested. When the test has been completed the air pump 28 may be disconnected, the water poured out, the

bracket 17 removed from the tan-lathe guide rod '15 removed and a cover 35' fastened over the top of the tank, as by hasps 36,

36, afsuitable' handle-'37 afiording'convenient means for transporting the device.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is.

1. In a smoke test apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a having an upwardly movable cover adapted to extend beneath the water, an outlet leading from the upper part of said smoke pot, an inlet leading from above the level of the water to the smoke pot,

a hoodinverted over the top of said inlet adapted to extend beneath thewa'ter, and means for introducing air intosaid hood beneath the level of water therein.

2. In a smoke test apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a smoke pot in said tank having an -upwardly movable-cover extending beneath the" water, an outlet leading from an upper part of said pot downward and out through the wall of thetank, an inlet leading from above the top of the tank downward to a lower part of the smokepot, a hood over the top of said inlet extending beneath the water, a nozzle extending through "said hood and-terminating beneath the water, and meansforforcing air in through said nozzle.

In smoke test apparatus, thecombination of 'a tank adapted to contain water, a smoke p'ot body'projecting upward from the bottom of said tank andopen' at'its top, an outlet pipe at the side of said pot body'leading' at its lower end through the Wall of the tankya cover with a deep skirt or flange loosely inclosin'g the tops of said potbody and outlet pipe, an inlet leading from the top ofthe tank downward to' the smoke pot,

a hood over said inlet and extending beneath the water, and means for introducing air into said hood below the level-of Water therein.- j

4.- In a'smoke test apparatus, the combinationofa tank adapted to contain water, a smoke pot body projecting upward from the bottom of said tank above the level of the water, said bodybeing open at-its top and having a longitudinal groove or recess in its outer Wall, an outletpipe in said groove or,

recess having its upper end at the top ofithe tank, a cover loosely inclosing the tops of said pot body and outlet pipe and having a deep skirt or flange extending below the level of water, an inlet leading from above the level of water to the smoke pot, a hood over the top of said inlet and extending beneath the water, and means for introducing air into said hood beneath the levelof water therein. I

5. In a smoke test apparatus, the combination of a tank adapted to contain water, a smoke pot body projecting upward from the bottom of said tank above the level of'the waterand being open at its top, an outlet leading from the upper part ofsaid smoke pot, a cover loosely inclosing the tops of said pot body and outlet and having a deep skirt or flange extending below the level ofwater, a stem removably secured to said cover, a detachable guide bracket forsaid stem on the tank, an inlet leading from above the level of water to the smoke pot, a hood over the top of said inlet adapted to extend beneath the water, a nozzle for introducing air into said hood beneath the level of water therein, and a lid or top for the tank adapted to be separably connected thereto and inclose all.

said parts when the stem and bracket are detached. k

6. In a smoke test apparatus, the comb1- nation of a tank adapted to contain water, a

smoke pot fixed in one end of said tank and having anupwardly movable cover adapted to extend beneath the water, an outlet leading from the upper part of said smoke pot,

an inlet leading from above the level of water to the smoke pot, said inlet located at the opposite end of the tank from the smoke Y pot, a hood over the top of said inlet adapted to extend beneath the water and secured to the tank, means for introducing air into said hood beneath the level of water therein, a baffle plate between said hood and smoke pot, and a lid or top forthe same adapted to inclose said parts; v

7. In a smoke test apparatus, the combi nation of a; tank adapted to contain" water, a

smoke pot body in said tank extending upward abovethe level of water and having an open top, a loosely telescopic cover for said Ipot body having a deep skirt or flange extending beneath the level of the water, an inlet leading from above the level of the Water downward to the lower part of the smoke pot, a hood over said inlet extending beneaththe level ofthe water, means for intro ducing air into said hood beneath the level of water therein, and an outlet pipe extending beneath said smokepot cover above the level of water therein.

JAMES EDWARD FLITCROFT.

' Witnesses j HOWARD P. KING," I MILDRED E. Bnooxs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

